A few days ago I was singing the praises of State Senator Raymond Finney for his nice website and his promises to stay in touch with voters.

Apparently my confidence was misplaced. I should have known. After all, he is a Republican. Every time I start to like, or even trust one of them, they go and give me reason not to. (My Dad notwithstanding.)

Read more after the jump...

About a week ago, I noticed a piece of legislation he had introduced that would eliminate building height restrictions on portions of the Pellissippi Parkway/I-140 within the city limits of Alcoa zoned commercial or anything like it now or in the future.

I was curious what this was all about. I hadn't heard about it or read anything about it in the papers. So I e-mailed him. I asked him what it was all about, what problem it addressed, who would benefit, what the effect would be on taxpayers and property owners. You know, stuff that a taxpayer or a property owner might be interested in.

I never heard back.

I sent the e-mail again to all of the e-mail addresses he had listed in the contacts section of his nice website.

I still haven't heard back.

I realize they are busy over there in Nashville outlawing abortion and gay marriage and whatnot, but hey, the guy promised to keep in touch and respond to his constituents. I guess that only counts if you ask about gays or abortion or issues listed on his nice website. Eliminating building height restrictions on Pellissippi Parkway/I-140 is not not one of the issues listed on his website. Curious that.

Anyway, from the limited information I have been able to google up it seems similar legislation was passed just last year for the areas of Pellissippi Parkway in Knox Count zoned "Town Center", a zoning that was just enacted a few years ago by the MPC. Just coincidentally, a new development is proposed at the Northshore exit of Pellissippi Parkway/I-140 called "Northshore Town Center" with apartments and shopping and office complexes. Imagine that.

(I'm still not exactly clear on the concept of a "town center" that is 15 miles from the nearest downtown business district, and not even near any towns for that matter. But that's neither here nor there with regard to the topic at hand.)

Oh, did I mention that Pellissippi Parkway/I-140 is designated as a "Scenic Highway" in the State of Tennessee? Best I can tell, anyway. Driving along it through Blount Count and Alcoa tend to give visual confirmation of that. At least for now.

So anyway, Sen. Finney apparently doesn't think his constituents need to worry their pretty little heads about whatever real estate deal may or may not be cooking that would necessitate eliminating building height restrictions on a state Scenic Higway in his district. Curious that. I guess we will just have to leave it up to the adults to sort it all out.

I just wish I knew what was going on. I might be up for a little insider speculative real estate investment. Alas, it does not appear that is in the cards. I am merely a property owner, taxpayer, voter, and constituent in Finney's district with no apparent "need to know."

OK, then.